New graphics card - No sound

Juular · 01 Sep 2015

I've recently purchased a new graphics card, an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 and have been unable to get any sound on my PC since. I've tested my boxes, they're working fine when connected to my smartphone.

When I look up my installed audio devices, there are the NVIDIA HDMI Output Port 0 through 4, none of which are plugged in, then there are Realtek speakers, once again, not plugged in, lastly there's a Realtek Digital Output, which is set as default device.

My Bose speakers aren't detected at all. I've checked multiple times now, to be absolutely certain, they are plugged into the right port.

Any help would be absolutely amazing.

MoxieMomma · 01 Sep 2015

Hi:

Disclaimer: I am just a home user, not an expert.

I had a similar symptom (no sound output) after a recent glitch that necessitated a hard shutdown.
When I rebooted, there was no audio output.

TMALSS, extensive hardware diagnostics (via F12 on this Dell box, Dell Audio diagnostics, etc.) and via device manager (including removing and reinstalling my audio devices) --> No joy, even though everything checked out OK and the tests from device manager showed that the speakers/audio were communicating with the computer, speakers were functional, etc.

On a screen-share remote session with Dell, the tech actually had a logical approach to troubleshooting.

The eventual solution was simply to DISABLE the NVidia HDMI output in device manager, as it was somehow clashing with/blocking the Realtek sound output.
The NVidia HDMI output -- which was not previously in use -- had somehow "re-enabled" itself when I rebooted after the hard shut down.

I have had no further issues for several weeks.

Caveat: I never had an issue with the system seeing any of the hardware or peripherals, including my speakers. So YMMV.

Just a thought,

MM

Juular · 01 Sep 2015

I just tried this and it doesn't help. Disabled the HDMI output, restarted my PC, still no sound. Seems my issue has to be solved differently. Thanks anyway.

MoxieMomma · 01 Sep 2015

Bummer.

Same symptom, different disease.

I assume you made the Realtek Audio the default, have run basic hardware diagnostics, and have checked everything in device manager, including drivers?

If all of that checks out, then I'm afraid I'll have to defer to those far more knowledgeable than I.

Sorry I couldn't help.
I hope you get it fixed.

MM

Juular · 02 Sep 2015

Thanks for the help again, MoxieMomma. I could really use some help here, smart people from the internet. A PC without sound is like cookies without chocolate, it's just not satisfactory.

Juular · 03 Sep 2015

Someone? Anyone? I'm normally quite the patient kind, but a PC without sound is rather frustrating, so any help would be amazing.

Also, if more info is needed, or anything from my part, I may have to be instructed what exactly it is you need me to do.

BorisTheAnimal · 03 Sep 2015

Have you updated the Realtek drivers, if not grab them from your motherboards support download page.

And how about the Graphics Card, have you updated it since you plugged it in?

fireberd · 03 Sep 2015

The "Speakers" need to be set as the default playback device, not the digital.

The HDMI will not affect the sound unless an HDMI cable is plugged in, then Windows will change the default playback device to the HDMI. When the HDMI cable is unplugged from the PC it will switch back to Speakers.

Juular · 12 Sep 2015

My apologies for a late response, I just needed a few days to get out of a particularly nasty flu.

BorisTheAnimal said:

Have you updated the Realtek drivers, if not grab them from your motherboards support download page.

And how about the Graphics Card, have you updated it since you plugged it in?

All of my drivers are up-to-date. Regardless, I would get notifications whenever newer drivers are available, and immediately install them.

fireberd said:

The "Speakers" need to be set as the default playback device, not the digital.

The HDMI will not affect the sound unless an HDMI cable is plugged in, then Windows will change the default playback device to the HDMI. When the HDMI cable is unplugged from the PC it will switch back to Speakers.

If you mean in the back of my PC, I don't have anything to connect a HDMI cable to, the only external sound device connected to my PC is my speaker set.

AddRAM · 15 Sep 2015

Do you have the sound coming out of the right device ?